How Many Mag Pouches

[revchuck]

Folks - I'm getting into shooting Production, using my Beretta 92 Brigadier. I shot USPSA back in the 80s, but not since, and have been shooting IDPA since '98, so my concept of how many rounds I'll need per stage is foggy at this point. I've got seven 10 round mags, as well as three standard capacity mags, so I've got that covered...I hope.

Also, is there any reason (other than swoopiness) that I need to get something more expensive than the Uncle Mike's mag pouches? I've got a couple of Comp-Tacs that I use for carry, and don't see any speed difference. Of course, that could be a software problem rather than a hardware problem.

TIA!

[BDH]

Folks - I'm getting into shooting Production, using my Beretta 92 Brigadier.  I shot USPSA back in the 80s, but not since, and have been shooting IDPA since '98, so my concept of how many rounds I'll need per stage is foggy at this point.  I've got seven 10 round mags, as well as three standard capacity mags, so I've got that covered...I hope. 

Well, welcome back! Under USPSA/IPSC rules the maximum round count on a stage is 32. Also, when you mention that that you have 'three standard capacity mags' I'm guessing that you mean the 15 round capacity mags. If that is the case, you can use them in competition, but can not load them with more than 10 rounds.

[Gary Stevens]

Having had every magazine malfunction known to man occur at one time or another, I believe in being prepared. In Production I carry 5 on my belt and 1 in the gun of course. This has worked out well for the past 3 years. Also if you can, try to get several spare mags for your gunbag. If you run into something such as the Mud...err Buckeye Blast a couple of years ago, they come in handy while you are trying to clean the mud out of several of your mags. At that match I think I had 15 total magazines, and used all of them.

[TriggerT]

I think 4 to 5 mag pouches is best for either production, or L-10 (same capacity restriction). I usually only carry 4, but there have been a few times where I know if I had run into a bad jam, or fumbled a reload, I would have wished for one more.

[revchuck]

BDH wrote:

Also, when you mention that that you have 'three standard capacity mags' I'm guessing that you mean the 15 round capacity mags. If that is the case, you can use them in competition, but can not load them with more than 10 rounds.

Yup, that's what I meant. I understand the problem with the LAMR mag has been fixed - I know of a guy who loaded a mag with 11 rounds in it at the LAMR command and got a procedural; I understand the rule now is that one can't have more than ten rounds in it after the beep.

[Dead Buff]

IMHO, I wouldn't go less than 4 + 1 mags if I may only use 10 rounds per mag...sh1t happens too often

[vluc]

I second the more the merrier thought. I run with 5 comp-tac singles and a kytac single for the loading mag. I've had mags fall while running or getting pulled out while sitting in a chair, so stuff does happen.

Add to that my penchant for dumping and those extra mags come in handy. Why have all that belt space if you are not going to use it!!

[racerba]

Why have all that belt space if you are not going to use it!!

There's that old saying - "better to have and not need than to need and not have!"

My friend runs with 6 or 8 spare mags, and he still have room for more. However, I don't have ALL that belt space, so I run with 4 mag pouches. On stages where I might need a 5th, I stick it in my pocket. It's rare that I'll need the 5th mag, but there are stages that I'll shoot 6 or 8 rounds and change mags a couple of times.

[Matthew_Mink]

I like 5 and 1 in the gun. As stated before, with the typical 32rd field courses with 8rd arrays, that's 4 mags. So you have a couple spares for oops reloads or otherwise.

[D.Hayden]

And at local club matches.. I've been on stages that far exceeeded the 32 round limit. The most I think was 51. Usually, I'll shoot 8 and drop that mag, and reload moving to the next, but with really big stages, it's not always possible. 6 mags is bare minimum. 7 or 8 (only for those odd stages is better)

[wlktheduk]

A comment about the Uncle Mikes kydex magazine pouches: the belt attachment plate, being a hard plastic piece, with slots for different belt sizes, with a curve molded into it, does not fit as well onto some belts as other mag pouches. If that is a problem with the belt you're using, then some other mag pouch might be in order.

Otherwise, they work very well for production. I like the adjustable retention/tension feature built into the pouch. (helps prevent mags jumping out...note I did not say KEEPS mags from jumping out....OOOPS )

[rhino]

Comp-Tac has a really spiffy rig that combines four of their single mag carriers into one unit that takes the space of two on your belt. It looks like a good idea if you have trouble reaching behind you for mags.

[D.Hayden]

Rhine.. do they 'bend' around the corners ok? I had problems with the Uncle Mikes, so I went with Safariland Singles (771s?).. so they could more easily fold around...

[BerettaRacer]

I run with 6 pouches on the belt. Stage layout and round count dictates weather my LAMR mag comes from the belt or have a seperate one for the primary load. Also since I shoot a Beretta I carry a few loose rounds in my pocket so I can drop in the extra round in the pipe for 10+1 at LAMR if I think I need it on the first array to keep from going into slide lock. Usually carry 9 mags in the bag, and if traveling away for a big match will have a few spares, just in case. YMMV

[Nik Habicht]

Also since I shoot a Beretta I carry a few loose rounds in my pocket so I can drop in the extra round in the pipe for 10+1 at LAMR if I think I need it on the first array to keep from going into slide lock.

Is the Beretta extractor designed to stand up to snapping over the rim?

[revchuck]

Nik - AFAIK, the only bottomfeeders that have problems with that are ones with internal extractors, like a 1911. It works fine with both my CZ and my Beretta. I think I remember it being recommended in the instruction book that came with the Brigadier.

Having said that, I load both the CZ and the Beretta from a magazine.

[BDH]

I understand the problem with the LAMR mag has been fixed - I know of a guy who loaded a mag with 11 rounds in it at the LAMR command and got a procedural; I understand the rule now is that one can't have more than ten rounds in it after the beep.

Your interpretation of no more than 10 after the beep is correct. However, unless I am mistaken.... the rule changes in the new rulebook, which is not yet accepted for use in the US.

[kimber45]

I carry four on the belt, one Barney round mag, thats just for a 24 round COF. A 32rd COF would require a fire bucket brigade of mags

[rhino]

Rhine.. do they 'bend' around the corners ok? I had problems with the Uncle Mikes, so I went with Safariland Singles (771s?).. so they could more easily fold around...

Berkim ... I've not seen one in person, but it looks like it would bend okay.

Here is the photo:

You can find it at: http://www.comp-tac.com/

Click in the link for "Beltfeed."

[BerettaRacer]

Nik

Beretta's have a spring loaded extrctor, you can drop'em in the pipe all day with no problems.

[D.Hayden]

You can find it at: http://www.comp-tac.com/

Click in the link for "Beltfeed."

Sweet!

I gotta see one of those...

[BerettaRacer]

Well sorry to say, as of today, you may have to re-think the Comp-Tac mag pouch setup. I just received the new USPSA rule book, and as of Dec 1, the 50mm away from the body rule is in effect. USPSA never had that restriction before, like IPSC, but they are implementing it in the new rules. Not sure if the staggered Comp-Tac will pass the rule.

[BismarckC]

At a recent state match that I RO'd I noticed that most of the good production shooters ran with six mags on there belt plus their LAMR mag. Some even ran with 8 on their belt. It seems that with the intepretation of where the mags can start on your belt (hip bone) some people can carry a couple of extra mags.

[Flexmoney]

At a recent state match that I RO'd I noticed that most of the good production shooters ran with six mags on there belt plus their LAMR mag. Some even ran with 8 on their belt. It seems that with the intepretation of where the mags can start on your belt (hip bone) some people can carry a couple of extra mags.

For USPSA, that doesn't start until the new rule book takes effect. They should have had their mags behind the centerline...not forward to the hip bone.

[JerryDGeek]

The 'rule of thumb' is, carry as many magazines as you can possibly need, then carry at least one more.

I think the obvious rational has already been stated, but here's another nail in the coffin:

When you think you have enough magazines, you'll find that either you'll have a jam and have to dump an almost-full mag to clear the jam quickly, or one array will be more difficult than you expect and you'll have to do a standing reload. I've seen a lot of people who managed to flub a reload so badly that the reload magazine ends up in the dirt instead of in the gun. And if you have only ONE extra mag, at least two of the above-mentioned events will occur. Whatever Murphy needs to muck up your day, it will happen.

Early on (15 years ago?), I decided that if there was any way to ruin my stage performance, I would do it. The best possible scenario was that if the stage offered x-number of arrays, I should carry x+1 magazines PLUS the full mag in the gun. And the Barney-Bullet magazine should be full, except possibly I won't reload the mag with an extra round from my pocket.

I soon realized that I couldn't do the math, so I decided to carry all the magazines that I owned, even if it seemed silly during the LAMR thingie.

When shooting Open, I carry a 26-round Bigstick plus two 20-round 140mm magazines, even if it's only a 12-round classifier stage. Does the stage feature a mandatory reload? I borrow another 140mm mag from SWMBO.

Shooting Limited-10, I carry 5 10-round magazines, plus an 8-round Barney Bullet mag, plus at least one more 8-round magazine in my hip pocket. That's 66 rounds, but the total round-count isn't the deciding factor. The important thing is that if I get a jam and have to ditch a nearly full magazine, it won't leave me short when I have to load a full magazine for the last target array.

They laughed when I showed up for a short course with three times as many magazines as I possibly could need, but they didn't laugh when I ended up empty handed at the end of the stage ... because that never has happened.